Acoustic Guitar Stores in Minnesota (Twin Cities)

fenderbender4 · #1 01-21-2019, 03:38 PM

Can anyone recommend acoustic guitar stores here in the Twin Cities? After the Podium closed there aren't that many ones that I can think of that carry nicer acoustics. Some I can think of:

Willie's Guitars
Riff City (New Hope)- not much of a selection but have a nice 00-L Martin in stock, besides that mostly budget acoustics
Lavonne

I know Quinn violins carries some but haven't been yet, worth checking out?

curbucci · #2 01-21-2019, 03:44 PM

Twin Town Guitars - they have more in stock than what is on their website. They got Martins, Guilds, Taylors, Seagulls, Alvarez etc. etc.

Vig Guitars has some acoustics - Saint Paul

Capitol Guitars - Saint Paul has some

I think besides Willies Twin Town has more of a variety.

chester0711 · #3 01-21-2019, 03:45 PM

went to twin town for the first time this past weekend. Excellent store. Nice selection of acoustics and electrics.

tomcstokes59 · #4 01-21-2019, 03:58 PM

They started about a year ago with a fretted room. They carry Eastman, Santa Cruz and I believe Clark.

gr81dorn · #5 01-21-2019, 04:05 PM

Quinn indeed has Eastmans, Cole Clarks and Santa Cruz and some Godin brands and a few other cheap things in the steel string room. They have a nylon string area I didn't go in. They could be a nice option in our very lonely marketplace.

Willies has Collings and Martins as the main new stuff on the higher end, though typically not many Collings or Martins over the standard series. Lots of vintage, of course.

You simply can't replace the Podium and none of these places come close. They're all their own thing and do it well for the most part, but it's no fun to go to Dinkytown anymore, thats for sure.

tbeltrans · #6 01-21-2019, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomcstokes59

They started about a year ago with a fretted room. They carry Eastman, Santa Cruz and I believe Clark.

Quinn Violins (Fret Central is the guitar portion of their business) also carries McPherson, both wood and carbon fiber instruments. They have a room dedicated to classical guitars, where they also have accessories such as pickups and preamps for acoustic guitar, capos, strings, etc. In the main acoustic room, they carry a couple of lines of high quality acoustic guitar amplifiers. Yes, they are definitely worth a visit. I purchase my McPherson Touring (honeycomb version) and an excellent Schertler preamp there.

Tony

terken · #7 01-21-2019, 06:24 PM

My friend Marty Reynolds, the luthier from the old Podium is working at Fret Central a couple of days a week now. I checked it out, it's a classy place and the owner is a cool guy. They have some nice guitars, especially archtops.

I don't think we will see the likes of The Podium again, a real shame but we were sure lucky to have had it as long as we did. Many fond memories.

Cecilia from both the Dinkytown and Minnehaha Podium is working the acoustic room at Willie's now. Always worth having a look there, especially for used and vintage.

nedley · #8 01-21-2019, 06:54 PM

Quinn/Fret Central is very good, I’d also add Groth in Bloomington and Twin Town in Mpls to the list as well as the others mentioned here.

tbeltrans · #9 01-21-2019, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terken

My friend Marty Reynolds, the luthier from the old Podium is working at Fret Central a couple of days a week now. I checked it out, it's a classy place and the owner is a cool guy. They have some nice guitars, especially archtops.

I don't think we will see the likes of The Podium again, a real shame but we were sure lucky to have had it as long as we did. Many fond memories.

Cecilia from both the Dinkytown and Minnehaha Podium is working the acoustic room at Willie's now. Always worth having a look there, especially for used and vintage.

Recently, I purchased my McPherson Touring at Fret Central. Marty did a setup on it on one of the two days has been working there. That saves me the drive to his house in St. Paul. I have known Marty for more than 30 years! A long time for all of us.

I started going to The Podium regularly in 1978 when I first moved here, and have purchased a number of guitars there over the years. I was just at David Roos' house today, picking up my Kelday 12 fret 000. Cecilia has been at Willie's for quite some time. Frank was there for a while too, but has since moved to Michigan by way of Seattle.

Tony

pjmacd · #10 01-21-2019, 08:35 PM

I haven't been to the Twin Cities for several years now. Is Charlie Hoffman still around? If so, his shop is/was a fun place to visit and drool over lovely handmade instruments.

tbeltrans · #11 01-21-2019, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjmacd

I haven't been to the Twin Cities for several years now. Is Charlie Hoffman still around? If so, his shop is/was a fun place to visit and drool over lovely handmade instruments.

Good question. I just never seem to get to that neighborhood anymore even though it is only about a half hour away. His web site is still up and it shows the shop to still be open. However, it appears to not have been updated in several years.

http://www.hoffmanguitars.com/

Tony

nedley · #12 01-21-2019, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Good question. I just never seem to get to that neighborhood anymore even though it is only about a half hour away. His web site is still up and it shows the shop to still be open. However, it appears to not have been updated in several years.

http://www.hoffmanguitars.com/

Tony

His store was still there the last time I drove by which was a month or two ago. A couple of his luthiers left last year and started St Paul Guitar Repair https://stpaulguitarrepair.com/ and it has seemed to me that Charlie may be winding down.

tbeltrans · #13 01-21-2019, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nedley

His store was still there the last time I drove by which was a month or two ago. A couple of his luthiers left last year and started St Paul Guitar Repair https://stpaulguitarrepair.com/ and it has seemed to me that Charlie may be winding down.

I had heard some rumbling to that effect too, but so far he still seems to be hanging in there.

Tony

terken · #14 01-22-2019, 11:40 AM

Former Podium legend David Roos was mentioned in a previous post, he is selling high end used instruments out of his home. He has a small but very nice selection. Both steel and nylon string.

Goggle David Roos music.

tbeltrans · #15 01-22-2019, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terken

Former Podium legend David Roos was mentioned in a previous post, he is selling high end used instruments out of his home. He has a small but very nice selection. Both steel and nylon string.

Goggle David Roos music.

David told me he is also working at Willie's now too, and of course, still gigging regularly.

Tony